Gemotions

The cafe door chimed, and Liam practically stumbled backward, nearly colliding with a waiter. He’d been so engrossed in his phone, rereading the messages from "Sunshine_33," his online confidante, that he hadn't noticed the world around him. He'd been looking for a familiar face, a vibrant smile, anything to indicate he wasn't alone. Instead, he saw Chloe, Sunshine_33 herself, laughing with two other people. Her gaze flickered over him, a fleeting moment of recognition he was sure he imagined. Then, it was gone. She went back to her friends, her attention fully elsewhere. He found himself unable to swallow, a lump clogging his throat. He just turned around, leaving his half-finished coffee, and walked out into the drizzle.